Rim-coating machine.



R. Mc CLENATHEN AND G. B. HEFF.ELFINGER.- RIM COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mun-:11. 19x9.

1 26,357. Patent/ad Dec. 30, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

Q fare/25w? F W I R. McCLENATHEN AND G. B. HEFFELFINGER.

RIM COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE :1. 1919.

1,326,357. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

j m'ray W W R. McCLENATHEN AND G. B. HEFFELHNGER.

RIM COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1919.

1 26,357. Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- &

murnn s'rarss PATENT onnion.

ROBERT MGGLENATHEN, OF CUYAHOGA FALLS, AND GLEN B. HEFFELFING-ER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOBS TO KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRE 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RIM-COATING- MACHINE.

Application filed June 17, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Ronnn'r lvloCLnNA- THEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cuyahoga Falls, Summit county, and State of Ohio, and GLEN B. Hnrrnnrmonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, Summit county, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rim-Coating Vlachines, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known that ordinarily rubber does not readily adhere directly to a metal surface and in making solid rubber tires, particularly those of the larger type, such as are used on auto trucks and similar vehicles, where the rubber is attached to the metal rim by adhesion the outer flat surface of the rim is usually grooved or corrugated and is coated over with a chemical mixture which has affinity for both metal and rubber, and which facilitates and strengthens the adhesion. A preparation in the nature of a cement is frequently used, and which has about the consistency of ordinary paint and is applied to the rims with ordinary paint brushes. This mixture is frequently referred to as paint, and the application thereof to the rims as painting the rims. As these rims are frequently 10 or more inches in width and several hundred are used daily in the larger factories this coating or painting operation involves a large expense for manual labor.

With our machine we coat these rims entirely by mechanical operation, by suspending and revolving the rim above a circular revolving brush, of a length equal to the width of the rim to be coated, to which brush the paint or coating mixture is fed by means of a feeding roller suspended beneath the brush, and which roller revolves in a pan containing the coating mixture.

As it is desirable to coat several of these rims simultaneously, we make this machine to consist of several connected units all operated by two line shafts which may be ex tended indefinitely, and any desired number of units may be operated from the same power and same driving gear, all of which results in a great saving in expense as well as a moreuniform distribution of the coating material.

For convenience we will refer to the end Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 304,974.

of {he machine next the motor as the front enc In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 isa top plan view of one complete unit and the front end of an adjoiningunit, together with the motor and driving gear which operates all units. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine. Fig. 8 is a rear end elevation of the machine. Fig. a shows the relative positions of the rim carrying rollers, the wheel rim, the brush and the distributing roller out of contact with the brush. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the brush and its adjusting mechanism. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end view of the brush adjusting mechanism. Fig. 7 shows a sectional view of a fragment of metal rim in position on a rim carrying roller. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one unit, driving gear and motor omitted.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all figures.

The working parts are carried on a frame consisting of side bars 1 with connected cross bars 2 and legs 3. The cross bars 2 together with the end bar 1 affords support for the line shafts 5, 6, 7. On each of line shafts 6 and 7 are mounted a pair of adjustable rim carrying rollers 8, which support and revolve wheel rim 9 during the process of coating.

The motor 10 drives small gear wheel 11, which operates large gear wheel 12, which is keyed to shaft 5, also keyed to shaft 5 is small gear wheel 13, which operates gear wheel 14 keyed to line shaft 6. On line shaft 6 is also rigidly mounted gear wheel 15 which engages gear wheel 16 rotatably mounted on stub shaft 16, and gear wheel 16 engages with gear wheel 17 rigidly mounted on line shaft 7. This disposition of gear wheels causes all the rim carrying rollers 8 to revolve in the same direction, thus revolving wheel rim 9 by gravity contact at four bearing points.

Midway between the four rim carrying rollers 8 is suspended a coating brush 18 revolving on shaft 19 which is really a rigid extension of shaft 20, which shaft 20 runs in bearing box 21, said bearing box is controllable vertically by adjustable screw 22 threaded to fit cap nut 23, said screw operable by hand wheel 21. This permits a necessary vertical adjustment of brush 18,

as the bristles of the brush 18 are worn down and become shorter in use and as the distance of that part of the rim immediately above the brush varies with rims of difierent diameters.

Below brush l8 and somewhat to one side as best shown in ig. 4 is suspended the feeding roller 25, and below roller 25 is suspended pan 26 by hangers 27, and which pan carries the liquid cement or coating mixture 28. Roller 25 is rigidly mounted on shaft 29, which shaft 29 is rotatably mounted in gear bracket 30, which gear bracket is carried on line shaft 6 and isfree to oscillate thereon. On shaft 6 is also rigidly mounted gear wheel 31 which is in engagement with the large gear wheel 32.

Attached to bracket 30 by hinge 33 is an arm 34, continued in a handle 35, and on the underside of the free end of arm 34 is loosely mounted a follower 36 which operates in spiral groove 37 cut in collar 38, which collar is keyed to shaft 7. On line shaft 6 is rigidly mounted gear wheel 31 which wheel engages with and revolves gear wheel 32 which is rigidly mounted on shaft 29, on which shaft 29 is. rigidly mounted feeding roller 25 which normally is not in engage- ,ment with the bristles on the brush, but

merely revolves in the pan of mixture to keep the contents thoroughly stirred and of even consistency. When the wheel rim 9 has been placed in position on the top of rim carrying rollers 8 and in contact with brush 18, handle 35 is raised and swung over on hinge 33 so that follower 36 is brought over collar 38. The follower then settles into spiral groove 37. This raising of arm 34 raises the lower end of brakcet 30 and brings feeding roller 25 into contact with the brush 18, thus the mixture is conveyed by the wooden roller to the brush and finally deposited upon the revolving wheel rim.

During this coating process the follower 36 is gradually working to the end of spiral groove 37, as the collar 38 revolves, and is finally'forced over the end of the collar, when it drops down on shaft 7 and with it descends arm 34, the lower end of bracket 30, and feeding roller 25 so that the roller is not in contact with the brush except for a time just sufficient to supply the coating material to the brush, and which time is determined either by the length of collar and spiral groove or by the point in the groove where the follower is inserted at the beginning of the feeding operation.

A bracket stop 39 limits the outward swing of arm 34 and also prevents the follower from riding on line shaft 7 and wearing the same, and a suitable stop or gage 40 may be provided to determine the point r in the spiral groove at which the follower is to be inserted, and thus fix the time .of contact of the feeding roller 25 with brush 18, which should be regulated in accordance with the varying circumference of the rims to be coated.

Arm 34 is adjustably attached to hinge 33 by bolt and nut 41 which bolt operates in slot 42 in hinge 33. The follower 36 after dropping off the end of collar 38 is repositioned at the proper angle for insert on in groove 37 by spring 43 in connection with gage screw 44.

It will be apparent that several units can be operated from one driving mechanism and on one pair of line shafts. In practice we find six to be a convenient number. It will also be apparent that rims of difierent heights, and of different widths, may be coated on the several units at the same time, requiring only a lateral adjustment of carrying rollers 8 to fit the rims of different widths, and a brush of proper length which is placed on shaft 19, one end of which is free (as shown best in Fig. 5) admitting a quick changing of brushes.

In operating a machine a brush of proper length is placed on shaft 19, and carrying rollers 8 are spaced to fit the width of the rim. The rim is then placed on the carrying rollers which are in continuous revolution, thus the rim commences to revolve as soon as placed on the rollers. Arm 34 is then raised and swung over to a predetermined position on collar 38, the follower 36 engages with spiral groove 37, travels to the end of the spiral and drops 01? stopping the supply of coating material to the brush 18. The rim and brush continue to rotate distributing the coating material evenly and thoroughly on and into the corrugations in the rim. When this distribution is complete the rim is replaced by another, and the op eration repeated. As several minutes are required for this coating process on each rim, the operator has ample time to attend to several rims and units practically simultaneously.

Having claim 1. In a machine for coating tire rims, supporting rollers adapted to support and revolve a wheel rim, a circular distributing brush adapted to revolve in contact with a feeding roller and spread a coating mixture, a revoluble feeding roller adapted to contact with said distributing brush, and means to support and operate said supporting rollers, brush and feeding roller.

2. In a machine for coating tire rims, flanged supporting rollers adapted to support a revolving wheel rim, and means to rotate said rim, a circular distributing brush adapted to simultaneous contact with a revolving wheel rim, and a feeding roller, a rotatable feeding roller adapted to contact with a revoluble brush, whereby liquid material may be fed. to the brush,'and. means described our invention, we

to support and operate said supporting rollers, brush and feeding roller.

3. In a machine for coating tire rims, flanged supporting rollers adapted to supe port a revolving Wheel rim by contact with the side flanges of said rim, means to rotate said rim, a circular distributing brush adapted to simultaneous contact With said rim and a feeding roller, a feeding roller adapted to revolve in a pan of liquid coating mixture and simultaneously contact With said revoluble distributing brush, and means to support and operate said supporting rollers, brush and feeding roller.

l. In a machine for coating tire rims, flanged rollers adjustable horizontally and adapted to support a revolving Wheel rim, a distributing brush adapted to vertical adjustment, and means to adjust the same, a revoluble adjustable feeding roller adapted to revolve in a pan of coating mixture, and means to place said roller either in or out of contact with said distributing brush, and means to support and operate said flanged rollers, brush and feeding roller.

5. In a machine for coating tire rims, supporting rollers, a distributing brush, a

rotatable feeding roller, means to o erate said supporting rollers, distributing rush and feeding roller, and means to automatically throw said feedin roller out of contact With said distributing irush at any desired time When the machine is in operation.

6. In a machine for coating tire rims, supporting rollers, a revoluble distributing brush, a rotatable feeding roller, means to operate said supporting rollers, distributing brush and feeding roller and automatically limit the duration of contact of the feeding roller With the distributing brush.

7. In a machine for coating tire rims, supporting rollers, a rotatable distributing brush, a rotatable feeding roller, a rotatable shaft having a spiral groove, a follower adapted to operate in said spiral groove and means to operate said supporting rollers, distributing brush, feeding roller and spiral groove, whereby the period of contact of said feeding roller with said distributing brush may be definitely regulated.

ROBERT MGCLENATHEN. GLEN B. HEFFELFINGER. WVitness:

- H. G. Hones. 

